Civic
Every race on your ballot, with sources. Races by stateJoin the Luminary network

2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Indiana Senate, District 23

Indiana Senate. 4-year term.

Find your exact ballotAll legislative districts

What this office does

Members of the Indiana Senate write and vote on state laws as part of the Indiana General Assembly. The Senate has 50 members, each representing one district for a four-year term; about half the seats are elected every two years [1].

The job in full — the duties the Indiana Code puts in it, the term, what it pays and who sets that, and what to ask a candidate.

Term
4 years [1]
Term limit
None [1]
Seats
50 [1]
On the 2026 ballot
25 districts [2]
What the law puts in this job (2)
  • Introduces and votes on state legislation as one of the two chambers of the Indiana General Assembly [1].
  • Must be at least 25 years old when taking office and have lived in the district for at least a year, under Article 4 of the Indiana Constitution [1].

About this race

  • Senate District 23 covers parts of Tippecanoe, Montgomery, Vermillion, Parke, Warren and Fountain counties in west-central Indiana, between Lafayette and Terre Haute [3, 5]. The Senate Republican caucus lists all of Fountain, Parke, Vermillion and Warren counties and parts of Montgomery and Tippecanoe [4].
  • May 5, 2026 Republican primary: Deery faced Paula Copenhaver, a staffer in Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith's office whom President Trump endorsed after Deery voted against mid-decade redistricting; Deery had also beaten Copenhaver in the 2022 primary [15]. After provisional ballots were counted, Deery led by three votes [16].
  • Recount: Copenhaver sought a recount, saying her campaign had "documented evidence of illegal voting by unqualified voters" [16]; she also challenged ballots, sought to subpoena voters, and said Democrats who crossed over had voted for Deery [17]. In August the Indiana Recount Commission voted 2-1, with its two Republican members (Secretary of State Diego Morales, who chairs it, and attorney Paul Mullin) in the majority, to disallow six ballots cast for Deery that lacked a county clerk's stamp or signature; that put Copenhaver ahead 6,332 to 6,329 [5].
  • Both sides' arguments: Deery's attorney argued voters should not lose their votes because of election officials' mistakes, while Copenhaver's attorney argued the clerk's seal and election workers' initials are safeguards against absentee-ballot fraud [5]. Deery said "nobody is really saying" the voters were invalid [18]. After the ruling, Copenhaver said state law sets ballot-authentication requirements and that the commission had been consistent in its decisions [5].
  • Sept. 10, 2026: The Indiana Supreme Court, in a one-page order by a majority of the five justices, told the commission to certify Deery the winner 6,335 to 6,332 and resume ballot preparations with his name [5]. At oral argument, Justice Christopher Goff said he found no statutory basis to exclude ballots missing only a clerk's stamp or signature [5]; Justice Derek Molter called it problematic that the secretary of state had said before the election such ballots would count and then changed course [17].
  • The recount also came up in the 2026 Secretary of State race: independent candidate Greg Ballard attended the hearing and said the case "goes to voter intent" and the commission needs to change, while Republican candidate Max Engling called for closed primaries after the crossover-voting concerns [17].
  • General election: Democrat David Sanders was unopposed in his primary [15], and independent Joshua Brant was approved for the ballot in late July [3]. In an April written Q&A, Deery and Sanders both opposed state tax breaks for data centers and both criticized SEA 1, but offered different alternatives [8]. No debate or forum among the three general-election candidates was found.

Candidates on the ballot

Joshua Brant

Independent

Joshua Brant is a self-employed West Lafayette veteran running as an independent [3]. He lists government transparency, education reform and cost of living as priorities [3].

Brant's background

  • Self-employed; lives in West Lafayette; age 44; a veteran [3].
  • Enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2002 after the Sept. 11 attacks, specialized in communication systems and left after five years as a corporal with an honorable discharge; later worked about ten years at Subaru of Indiana Automotive, rising to team leader, after jobs in private security and manufacturing management, according to his campaign [21].
  • Studied business at Ivy Tech Community College, earning an associate degree in business management in 2023, and holds a 2022 organizational leadership certificate from Purdue [21].

Brant's positions

Taxes & cost of living

  • Proposes a tax restructuring plan meant to ease family costs and support agricultural and small-business markets [3].

Health care

  • Proposes holding insurers accountable, more price transparency and a nonprofit public option [3].

Data centers

  • Opposes unchecked data center development [3].

Public safety

  • Opposes Flock license-plate cameras [3].

Elections & redistricting

  • Opposes gerrymandering by either party and says he would vote for a fair, transparent redistricting process; told WFYI "Politicians should never choose their voters" [3].

Government ethics

  • His campaign lists proposals titled the "Indiana Anti-Corruption and Accountability Act" and "The Peoples' Veto" [22].

How Brant would run the office

  • Campaign lists proposals on education, tax restructuring, health care reform and a "Bad Neighbor Doctrine"; their details were not available for review [22].

How Brant got on the ballot

  • Running as an independent; approved for the ballot in late July 2026 [3].

Brant's endorsements and funding

  • Says he has pledged not to take corporate PAC or out-of-state donations; top donors listed by WFYI include himself [3].

What we could not find about Brant

  • Details of his military service and education could not be confirmed from freely available sources.
  • Detailed proposal pages on his website could not be reviewed for this profile; no endorsements, fundraising totals or news coverage found.
  • No statements by Brant about Deery or the seat's record were found; a campaign post on the District 23 ballot case described the court schedule without taking sides [23].

Brant's campaign website

Sources for Brant

Spencer R. Deery

RepublicanIncumbent

Work
Higher-education consultant [3]

Spencer Deery is the incumbent, first elected in 2022, and won the 2026 Republican primary by three votes after an Indiana Supreme Court ruling [5]. He names affordability as his top priority, along with teacher recruitment and retention [15].

Deery's background

  • Higher-education consultant; age 43; lives in West Lafayette [3].
  • Former deputy chief of staff in the Purdue University president's office and special assistant to Purdue President Emeritus Mitch Daniels, according to the caucus; degrees from Brigham Young University and George Washington University (MPA) [4].
  • Elected in 2022 in his first bid for office [24].

Deery's positions

Property taxes

  • Opposed SEA 1 as "the wrong solution" and argues property taxes are not tied to ability to pay [8].

Data centers

  • Says "We should first eliminate the sales tax exemption the state gives these companies" and opposes data centers that raise utility rates or get state subsidies [8].

Education

  • Focuses on teacher pay and retention and says Indiana needs growth in "math, civics, and postsecondary attainment" [8].

Health care

  • Supports telehealth access, more independence for health professionals and price transparency [8].

Child care

  • Says more home-based child care is "the most affordable way to expand access" and backs employer tax incentives [8].

Elections & redistricting

  • Opposes mid-cycle redistricting, saying candidates should win on their ideas rather than "their ability to choose new voters" [10]. After the court ruling he said if voters do everything right, "your vote should count" [17].

How Deery would run the office

  • Says "Affordability must be our top focus," including housing, health care, gas and electricity costs [8, 15].

Deery on the current officeholder

  • Is the current officeholder. On the recount, said the disputed voters cast valid ballots and that the rejection came from a clerical error [18].

How Deery got on the ballot

  • Won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary over Paula Copenhaver, 6,335 to 6,332, as certified under the Indiana Supreme Court's Sept. 10 order, after the Recount Commission had briefly declared Copenhaver the winner [5].

Deery's endorsements and funding

  • Top donors listed by WFYI from Transparency USA data: Senate Majority Campaign Committee, Indiana Realtors PAC, Indiana Business for Responsive Government, Indiana Multi Family Housing PAC and Indiana BANKPAC; no totals given [3].

What we could not find about Deery

  • Did not respond to WFYI's 2026 candidate survey.
  • No general-election fundraising totals or endorsements found.
  • The court's written opinion explaining the Sept. 10 order had not been located.

Deery's record in office

Indiana Senate record, District 23 (2023-2026) · compiled from the official record, Oct. 12-13, 2026

Authored
43
16 became law
Co-authored
34
23 became law
Sponsored
15
13 became law
Co-sponsored
10
8 became law

Committees, 2026 session

  • Commerce and Technology
  • Corrections and Criminal Law
  • Education and Career Development
  • Health and Provider Services
  • Utilities
  • Commerce and Economic Development, Interim Study Committee on (Senate Majority Member)
  • Education, Interim Study Committee on (Senate Majority Member)
  • Public Health, Behavioral Health, and Human Services, Interim Study Committee on (Senate Majority Member)

Floor votes

  • 2023: Yes 398, No 58, Excused 30, Not voting 3
  • 2024: Yes 273, No 35
  • 2025: Yes 403, No 84
  • 2026: Yes 259, No 37, Not voting 4
How Deery voted on 35 selected bills
The 102 bills Deery carried

  • SB 195: Study of homeowners association issues.

    2023 · Authored (listed 2nd) · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Urges the legislative council to assign to an appropriate interim study committee the task of studying specific issues concerning homeowners associations.

  • SB 243: State spending report for taxpayers.

    2023 · Authored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Requires the department of state revenue (department) to annually provide each resident individual taxpayer who paid adjusted gross income taxes in the immediately previous taxable year a taxpayer receipt statement in an electronic format explaining how the individual taxpayer's taxes are being used.

  • SB 307: Early learning.

    2023 · Authored (listed 3rd) · not reported from Senate committee

    Raises the annual income eligibility for an eligible child to 138% of the federal poverty level.

  • SB 371: Advanced practice registered nurses.

    2023 · Authored (listed 2nd) · not reported from Senate committee

    Amends the hospital governing board requirements for the manner in which a psychiatric mental health advanced practice registered nurse will interact with other practitioners.

  • SB 404: Access to transcripts.

    2023 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that a state educational institution or private postsecondary educational institution operated for profit (institution) in Indiana may not: (1) refuse to provide a transcript for a current or former student of the institution on the grounds that the student owes a debt to the institution; (2) charge a higher fee for obtaining a transcript or provide less favorable treatment of a request f

  • SB 176: Small modular nuclear reactors.

    2023 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Changes the rated electric generating capacity from 350 megawatts to 470 megawatts for purposes of the definition of "small modular nuclear reactor" as used in the statutes concerning: (1) certificates of public convenience and necessity issued by the Indiana utility regulatory commission for the construction, lease, or purchase of electric generation facilities; and (2) financial incentives for e

  • SB 252: Long acting reversible contraceptives.

    2023 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Allows a long acting reversible contraceptive that is prescribed to and obtained for a Medicaid recipient to be transferred to another Medicaid recipient if certain requirements are met.

  • SB 306: Homestead property tax liability cap.

    2023 · Co-authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Provides a credit against an individual's homestead property tax liability equal to the amount by which the property tax liability increases by more than 10% from the prior year.

  • SB 35: Financial literacy.

    2023 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that, beginning with the cohort of students who are expected to graduate from a public school, a charter school, or a state accredited nonpublic school in 2028, an individual must successfully complete a personal financial responsibility course (course) before the individual may graduate.

  • SB 486: Education matters.

    2023 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Repeals teacher training requirements regarding: (1) criminal gang organizations awareness; (2) certain information concerning homeless students; and (3) recognizing the signs and symptoms of seizures and the appropriate steps to be taken to respond to the symptoms; and requires that information concerning these subjects be included within the curriculum of teacher preparation programs.

  • SJR 16: Article V convention on congressional term limits.

    2023 · Co-authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Applies to Congress for a convention for proposing amendments under Article V of the Constitution of the United States to provide limits to the number of terms that an individual may serve in the United States House of Representatives and in the United States Senate.

  • HB 1046: Transportation matters.

    2023 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that a transit development district may be established in a municipality that is located in a county that is a member of the development authority and has operated regularly scheduled commuter bus services to Chicago, Illinois, with prior financial assistance from the development authority, and shuttle bus services that transport riders to a train station or a regular train stop along the

  • HB 1132: Land use task force.

    2023 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Creates the land use task force to study and make recommendations concerning: (1) areas where food insecurity exists; (2) development growth trends in rural, suburban, and urban communities across Indiana; and (3) other community growth issues.

  • HB 1483: Discipline rules regarding bullying.

    2023 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that discipline rules adopted by the governing body of a school corporation must include timetables for reporting bullying incidents to parents of both the targeted student and the alleged perpetrator in an expedited manner that is not later than five business days after the incident is reported.

  • SB 17: Age verification for material harmful to minors.

    2024 · Authored (listed 2nd) · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires an adult oriented website operator that displays material harmful to minors to use a reasonable age verification method to prevent a minor from accessing an adult oriented website.

  • SB 2: Child care.

    2024 · Authored (listed 2nd) · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires the Indiana economic development corporation to annually report to the general assembly regarding funds dedicated to supporting child care under specified state and federal programs.

  • SB 200: Nonprofit loan center loans for state employees.

    2024 · Authored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Provides that not later than: (1) September 1, 2024, in the case of a state agency other than a state educational institution or a school corporation; (2) September 1, 2025, in the case of a state agency that is a state educational institution; or (3) September 1, 2026, in the case of a state agency that is a school corporation; a state agency shall partner with each nonprofit loan center (NLC) op

  • SB 201: Minor use of mobile devices and social media.

    2024 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Requires the manufacturer of a mobile smart device that incorporates an adult content filter and that is sold in Indiana after January 1, 2025, to configure the operating system of the mobile smart device: (1) such that the adult content filter is enabled upon activation of the mobile smart device; and (2) in a manner that reasonably ensures that a minor cannot disable the adult content filter.

  • SB 202: State educational institution matters.

    2024 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Amends the duties of state educational institutions' diversity committees.

  • SB 220: Financial institutions and consumer credit.

    2024 · Authored (listed 2nd) · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that a reference to federal law in: (1) the first lien mortgage lending act; (2) the Uniform Consumer Credit Code; or (3) the Indiana Code title governing financial institutions; is a reference to the law as in effect December 31, 2023 (rather than December 31, 2022, under current law).

  • SB 225: Exchange of insurance information after accident.

    2024 · Authored (listed 2nd) · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that a law enforcement officer present at the scene of an accident shall ensure that each operator complies with the duties required of an operator of a motor vehicle after an accident regardless of the apparent extent of the total property damage resulting from the accident.

  • SB 249: Major ground water withdrawal facilities.

    2024 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Defines a facility as a "major ground water withdrawal facility" if: (1) the facility includes one or more wells that have the capability of withdrawing at least 10,000,000 gallons of ground water from one or more aquifers in one day; and (2) the facility is connected, or plans provide for the facility to be connected, to pipeline facilities through which at least 10,000,000 gallons of ground wate

  • SB 295: Indiana economic development corporation.

    2024 · Authored (listed 3rd) · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Provides for appointment to the board of the Indiana economic development corporation (IEDC) of two nonvoting, advisory members who are members of the general assembly.

  • SB 50: Chaplains in public schools.

    2024 · Authored (listed 3rd) · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Allows a principal or superintendent of a public school, including a charter school, to employ, or approve as a volunteer, a school chaplain if certain requirements are met.

  • SB 7: Use of fabricated media in elections.

    2024 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Defines "fabricated media" as any of the following that is created through a generative adversarial network or other generative artificial intelligence technology: (1) An altered facsimile of an audio or visual recording depicting an individual's speech, appearance, or conduct, the alteration of which: (A) is made without the individual's consent; (B) results in a materially inaccurate depiction o

  • SB 1: Reading skills.

    2024 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that the department of education (department) may grant certain individuals a waiver that provides an exception to the literacy endorsement requirements if the department submits a report to the legislative council by a specified date.

  • SB 10: Community cares initiative grant pilot program.

    2024 · Co-authored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House

    Establishes the community cares initiative grant pilot program for the purpose of assisting in the costs of starting or expanding mobile integrated health care programs and mobile crisis teams in Indiana.

  • SB 128: Human sexuality instruction.

    2024 · Co-authored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Defines "governing authority" of a school.

  • SB 151: Statute of limitations.

    2024 · Co-authored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Allows the prosecution of Level 3 felony rape and child molesting offenses to be commenced at any time.

  • SB 181: Citizenship and immigration status.

    2024 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that, if the attorney general determines probable cause exists, the attorney general, rather than any person lawfully domiciled in Indiana, shall bring an action to compel a governmental body or postsecondary educational institution to comply with statutes requiring cooperation with federal immigration officials.

  • SB 234: Disaster emergency.

    2024 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that a state of disaster emergency declared by the governor: (1) that applies to the entire state may not continue for more than 60 days unless a renewal is authorized by the general assembly; and (2) that only applies to part of the state may not continue for more than 30 days unless renewed by the governor.

  • SB 282: Absenteeism and school attendance.

    2024 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Amends the duties of an attendance officer and the state attendance officer.

  • SB 296: Administrative proceedings.

    2024 · Co-authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Provides that the office of administrative legal proceedings (OALP) is the ultimate authority for agencies subject to the jurisdiction of the OALP.

  • SB 297: Administrative rules.

    2024 · Co-authored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Requires an agency to conduct a regulatory analysis for certain proposed rules, including if the implementation and compliance costs are at least $1,000,000.

  • SB 48: State educational institution information.

    2024 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires a state educational institution to prominently display hyperlinks to certain college scorecard information on the state educational institution's website and degree web pages.

  • SB 5: Lead water line replacement and lead remediation.

    2024 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Specifies that, for purposes of the statute concerning the replacement of customer owned lead service lines by water utilities, a municipally owned utility includes a utility company owned, operated, or held in trust by a consolidated city.

  • HB 1104: School safety.

    2024 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that a school safety plan developed by a school corporation or charter school must establish an armed intruder drill protocol.

  • HB 1133: Use of digitally altered media in elections.

    2024 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Defines "fabricated media" as any of the following: (1) An audio or visual recording of an individual's speech, appearance, or conduct that has been altered without the individual's consent such that: (A) the media conveys a materially inaccurate depiction of the individual's speech, appearance, or conduct as recorded in the unaltered recording; and (B) a reasonable person would be unable to recog

  • HB 1278: IURC and office of energy development matters.

    2024 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Repeals the Indiana Code provisions concerning the following obsolete programs and funds administered by the Indiana office of energy development (office): (1) The alternative fuel fueling station grant program.

  • HB 1328: Department of local government finance.

    2024 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that a county fiscal body may provide a stipend, not to exceed $2,500, to a circuit court clerk that serves as a voter registration officer each year in which a general election is held.

  • HB 1135: Cosmetology apprenticeships.

    2024 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that an individual who completes a United States Department of Labor registered apprenticeship program to practice cosmetology may take the cosmetologist licensure examination and, upon passage of the examination, practice as a cosmetologist.

  • SB 102: Carbon sequestration.

    2025 · Authored (listed 2nd) · not reported from Senate committee

    Provides that a carbon sequestration project that stores carbon dioxide generated outside a county and transported to the carbon sequestration project located in another county may not be undertaken unless the project is approved by the appropriate county legislative body or plan commission.

  • SB 121: Restrictions on using nets or traps for minnows.

    2025 · Authored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Prohibits the use of specific devices to take minnows from a waterway unless certain conditions are met.

  • SB 122: Nonprofit loan center loans for state employees.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Provides that not later than: (1) September 1, 2025, in the case of a state agency other than a state educational institution or a school corporation; (2) September 1, 2026, in the case of a state agency that is a state educational institution; or (3) September 1, 2027, in the case of a state agency that is a school corporation; a state agency shall partner with each nonprofit loan center (NLC) op

  • SB 166: Marijuana advertising.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Provides that a person may not advertise a product containing marijuana or a marijuana business by any medium within the borders of Indiana.

  • SB 249: Teacher compensation.

    2025 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Amends provisions that allow school corporations to provide a supplemental payment to teachers in excess of the salary specified in the school corporation's compensation plan.

  • SB 251: Indiana economic development corporation.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Provides that the governor may convene meetings with individuals from certain state agencies to work toward communicating a single, strategic economic development plan for the state.

  • SB 253: Economic revitalization area designations.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Adds conditions related to soil productivity and use of land for an agricultural purpose that must be found by a designating body before land classified as agricultural land for property tax purposes may be included within an area sought to be designated as an economic revitalization area.

  • SB 255: Education matters.

    2025 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires the department of education (department) to grant an initial practitioner license to an individual who: (1) holds a bachelor's degree with a major in any combination of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics; (2) successfully completes a total of at least nine academic credits regarding certain instruction in teaching; and (3) meets other specified requirements.

  • SB 256: Ground water.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Establishes the ground water and aquifer preservation task force to recommend water regulations to the legislative council.

  • SB 257: Civics education.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Requires certain instruction or discussion to: (1) incorporate the universal principles of the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution of the United States; and (2) foster a national identity, heritage, and culture established by an aspiration to certain shared principles (shared principles).

  • SB 423: Small modular nuclear reactor pilot program.

    2025 · Authored (listed 3rd) · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Establishes the small modular nuclear reactor partnership pilot program (program).

  • SB 504: Carbon dioxide.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Specifies that an application for a carbon dioxide transmission pipeline certificate of authority must include: (1) a risk assessment; and (2) a carbon dioxide injection estimate.

  • SB 505: Emergency transport to appropriate facility.

    2025 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Allows, subject to a written agreement concerning the transport of individuals, an emergency medical responder, an emergency medical technician, an advanced emergency medical technician, or a paramedic (emergency medical services personnel) to transport an individual to: (1) a health care facility; (2) a mental health facility; or (3) an urgent care facility; that can provide the individual with a

  • SB 506: Pharmacy employment regulations.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Provides that a pharmacy shall not require a pharmacist to work longer than 13 hours per work day, and requires a pharmacy to allow at least eight hours between consecutive shifts.

  • SB 11: Minor access and use of social media.

    2025 · Co-authored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Requires a social media operator to restrict a minor user's viewing of social media without first obtaining verifiable parental consent for the minor user.

  • SB 118: 340B drug program report.

    2025 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires certain entities authorized to participate in the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program to annually report specified data to the Indiana department of health (state department).

  • SB 146: Teacher compensation.

    2025 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires the department of education (department) to submit a report to the general assembly before November 1, 2025, that provides an analysis of the feasibility and cost of increasing school corporation employee health plan options.

  • SB 28: Ground water emergencies.

    2025 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Allows the owner or operator of a significant ground water withdrawal facility to file a complaint with the director of the department of natural resources (director) that a water well on the property of the owner of the significant ground water withdrawal facility failed to furnish the well's normal supply of water or failed to furnish potable water.

  • SB 317: Health care debt and costs.

    2025 · Co-authored · defeated on third reading in the Senate

    Requires hospitals to do the following: (1) Offer the person who has received health services the opportunity to pay the charges through a payment plan that satisfies certain requirements.

  • SB 318: Required disclosures and access of foreign media.

    2025 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires certain media entities operating in Indiana to disclose: (1) foreign ownership; (2) foreign funding; and (3) the use of foreign sourced or influenced content.

  • SB 431: Construction of data center by foreign adversary.

    2025 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that after June 30, 2025, a foreign company may not construct or cause to be constructed a data center in Indiana unless the Indiana utility regulatory commission and the Indiana economic development corporation conduct a joint study of the anticipated electricity use of the prospective data center and certify to the governor and the general assembly that the electricity estimated to be u

  • SB 480: Prior authorization.

    2025 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Sets forth requirements for a utilization review entity that requires prior authorization of a health care service.

  • SB 497: Tax credit for newborn children.

    2025 · Co-authored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Establishes a tax credit for newborn children, which an eligible taxpayer may claim only in the first taxable year in which a particular newborn child is eligible for the exemption allowed under specified provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

  • SB 5: State fiscal and contracting matters.

    2025 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Allows a state agency to use artificial intelligence software to prepare information and projections for the state budget.

  • HB 1016: School safety commission.

    2025 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides for the appointment of a fire chief, or the fire chief's designee, to a county school safety commission.

  • HB 1102: Contracting for preschool programs.

    2025 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Removes language restricting school corporations from entering into a contract with a religiously affiliated nonprofit preschool program.

  • HB 1498: School accountability.

    2025 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Repeals certain provisions regarding statewide assessment scores and the establishment of categories or designations of school performance.

  • HB 1500: Teacher appreciation grants.

    2025 · Sponsored · passed the House only; did not pass the Senate (not reported from Senate committee)

    Establishes a new teacher appreciation grant program.

  • HB 1689: Human services matters.

    2025 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that provisions of law concerning the statewide waiver ombudsman apply to an individual who has a disability and receives services administered by the bureau of disabilities services.

  • HB 1041: Student eligibility in interscholastic sports.

    2025 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires, for purposes of interscholastic athletic events, state educational institutions and certain private postsecondary educational institutions to expressly designate an athletic team or sport as one of the following: (1) A male, men's, or boys' team or sport.

  • HB 1103: Foreign trade offices.

    2025 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that a state agency and the Indiana economic development corporation may not establish an office in a country that is a foreign adversary.

  • HB 1245: Natural resource entrance fees.

    2025 · Co-sponsored · passed the House only; did not pass the Senate

    Allows counties that meet certain criteria to adopt an ordinance to impose a surcharge of not more than $1 in addition to the fees charged by the department of natural resources (department) for entry into certain state parks and recreation areas.

  • HB 1634: Math education.

    2025 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires each school corporation and charter middle school to automatically enroll a student who meets certain conditions in a middle school advanced math course.

  • SB 159: School technology plans and policies.

    2026 · Authored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Requires school corporations and charter schools (schools) to include in the school's technology plan a description of the school's plan to: (1) ensure the appropriate use of technological devices in schools; and (2) enable parents of students to exercise control over a student's technological devices while the student is not in school or engaged in virtual instruction or remote learning.

  • SB 160: Public safety.

    2026 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Makes wearing a mask during the commission of a criminal offense a sentencing aggravator.

  • SB 203: Indiana economic development corporation.

    2026 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Requires the state board of accounts to act as the economic development ombudsman (ombudsman) for the Indiana economic development corporation (IEDC) and a nonprofit subsidiary of the IEDC (nonprofit subsidiary) and to designate an individual to serve as the ombudsman.

  • SB 204: Various education matters.

    2026 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that an individual who has obtained a license to teach in a charter school may be eligible to obtain an initial practitioner professional educator license under certain conditions.

  • SB 223: Workforce related programs.

    2026 · Authored (listed 2nd) · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Requires a state provider of a workforce related program (state provider) to include the following information in an annual report concerning the workforce related program: (1) The number of participants who participated in another workforce related program after completing the program.

  • SB 240: Surplus interconnection service.

    2026 · Authored (listed 3rd) · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Defines "surplus interconnection service" (SIS), with respect to established interconnection service connecting an electric generating facility with an electric transmission system, as any portion of that service that: (1) has not been used; and (2) is not reasonably expected to be needed; the use of which would result in the total amount of interconnection service at the point of interconnection

  • SB 241: Utility service enhancement improvement costs.

    2026 · Authored (listed 2nd) · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Amends the statute that authorizes a conservancy district providing water service to withdraw from the jurisdiction of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) if the conservancy district serves less than 2,000 customers, so as to authorize a withdrawal from the IURC's jurisdiction if the conservancy district serves less than 3,000 customers.

  • SB 260: Carbon dioxide.

    2026 · Authored · not reported from Senate committee

    Specifies that an application for a carbon dioxide transmission pipeline certificate of authority must include: (1) a risk assessment; and (2) a carbon dioxide injection estimate.

  • SB 293: Pharmacist licensure.

    2026 · Authored (listed 3rd) · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Removes an examination requirement for certain pharmacists for license reciprocity.

  • SB 7: Carbon sequestration.

    2026 · Authored (listed 2nd) · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Provides that a storage operator may not operate a carbon sequestration project that transports or stores carbon dioxide outside the county where the carbon dioxide is generated unless the project is approved by the appropriate county legislative body or plan commission.

  • SB 74: Plug-in home solar units.

    2026 · Authored (listed 2nd) · not reported from Senate committee

    Provides that electricity generated by a plug-in home solar unit is exempt from Indiana law regarding distributed generation.

  • SB 79: Data center development.

    2026 · Authored (listed 2nd) · not reported from Senate committee

    Requires the Indiana utility regulatory commission (commission) to establish a working group to: (1) determine an estimate of the future electricity demands of the data center industry in Indiana; and (2) report to the general assembly regarding the working group's findings and recommendations not later than October 31, 2026.

  • SB 88: Education matters.

    2026 · Authored (listed 3rd) · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Amends good citizenship instruction requirements.

  • SB 140: Public safety.

    2026 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Amends the definition of "threat" in the intimidation statute to include posting a person's personal information on a social media platform with the intent to cause: (1) bodily injury to the person; (2) damage to the person's property; or (3) the commission of a crime against the person.

  • SB 144: Tobacco, e-liquid, and vapor devices.

    2026 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Increases the penalty for a person who: (1) makes a delivery sale of an e-liquid to an individual less than 21 years of age; (2) sells or distributes a tobacco product to a person less than 21 years of age; and (3) purchases a tobacco product for a person less than 21 years of age; from a Class C infraction to a Class B infraction.

  • SB 291: Court security.

    2026 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Establishes a procedure to prevent certain personal information of a protected judicial individual from being publically available by a public agency.

  • SB 56: Veterinary licensing.

    2026 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that the board of veterinary medicine may issue a license or registration to a qualified applicant without an examination if the qualified applicant: (1) satisfies the requirements for reciprocity of health care professionals; and (2) otherwise meets the requirements to become a licensed veterinarian or a registered veterinary technician.

  • SB 85: Health care debt and costs.

    2026 · Co-authored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Authorizes the attorney general to enforce provisions concerning health care debt wage garnishment and principal residence lien restrictions and establish a complaint process.

  • SB 9: Victim impact statements.

    2026 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires a defendant to be present in the courtroom while a victim makes a statement concerning the crime and the sentence, unless the defendant presents a safety risk or causes a significant disruption.

  • SB 90: Consent for pelvic, prostate, and rectal exams.

    2026 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Prohibits health practitioners and other specified individuals from performing pelvic, prostate, or rectal examinations on an anesthetized or unconscious patient except in specified circumstances.

  • HB 1115: Homeowners association governance.

    2026 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Amends the statute governing residential real estate sales disclosures to provide that in the case of a resale or refinance of property covered by the governing documents of a homeowners association (HOA), an HOA or an agent of the HOA providing a statement of unpaid assessments or other charges relating to a property may not charge more than $50 for the statement.

  • HB 1165: Various animal related matters.

    2026 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Removes partial liability for damages when a person removes a domestic animal from a motor vehicle.

  • HB 1242: Education reports.

    2026 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires the department of education to: (1) prepare a report compiling certain statewide data on school corporations and charter schools; and (2) submit the report to the legislative council and the interim study committee on education.

  • HB 1335: Nonprofit hospitals.

    2026 · Sponsored · passed the House only; did not pass the Senate (not reported from Senate committee)

    Sets forth additional requirements for a nonprofit hospital's community benefits plan (plan).

  • HB 1002: Electric utility affordability.

    2026 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires an electricity supplier, other than a municipally owned utility, that is under the jurisdiction of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) to do the following: (1) Beginning with the first monthly billing cycle that begins after June 30, 2026, apply a levelized billing plan (plan) to all active residential customer accounts: (A) for service provided under the electricity supplier

  • HB 1048: VFD clothing and automobile allowances.

    2026 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Increases, from $100 to $250, the clothing and automobile allowance for an active member of a volunteer fire department (department).

  • HB 1204: Natural resource entrance fees.

    2026 · Co-sponsored · passed the House only; did not pass the Senate

    Allows counties that meet certain criteria to adopt an ordinance to impose a surcharge of not more than $1 in addition to the fees charged by the department of natural resources (department) for entry into certain state parks and recreation areas.

  • HB 1389: Adoption and foster care matters.

    2026 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Prohibits a governmental entity from discriminating against a person in adoption and foster care matters based on the person's sincerely held religious belief, unless the discriminatory act as applied to the person is required to advance a compelling government interest and is the least restrictive means of advancing the interest.

How this record was put together, and what it does not show

What we list: 28 bills chosen by a rule that does not look at topic: both state budgets, four bills named in advance, the 2025-26 redistricting bill, and in each session and chamber the 3 bills whose final-passage vote drew the most “nay” votes.

  • Votes reflect party caucus dynamics. Indiana has Republican supermajorities in both chambers, and many floor votes split along party lines; a single vote says little without the bill and its context.
  • Bills often die for procedural reasons, such as no committee hearing or a deadline, and a bill marked “not reported from committee” may have become law inside another bill.
  • A third-reading vote is on the version in front of the chamber at that time; the final version can be very different.
  • Authoring and co-authoring are different: co-authors sign on, often in large numbers, and usually did not write the bill.
  • Attendance counts roll calls on bills and joint resolutions (about 89% of numbered roll calls). “Excused” is an absence the chamber approved; “not voting” means no vote was recorded.

Where Deery's record came from

Deery's campaign website

Sources for Deery

David A Sanders

Democratic

Work
Associate professor of biological sciences, Purdue University; West Lafayette City Council member [19]

David Sanders is a Purdue University biology professor and West Lafayette city councilor making his second run for the seat [3, 19]. He centers his campaign on government accountability, home rule, water protection and public education [3].

Sanders's background

  • Associate professor of biological sciences at Purdue University; holds a B.S. from Yale and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from UC Berkeley, according to his campaign [19].
  • Democratic member of the West Lafayette City Council since 2016, according to his campaign [19].
  • Founded the "Stop the Water Steal" effort that opposed a pipeline to move water to the LEAP Lebanon district [3].
  • Lives in West Lafayette; age 65 [3].

Sanders's positions

Property taxes

  • Says SEA 1 "simultaneously raised net property taxes for lower-assessed homes" and wants the state tax system reconsidered [8]; told WFYI the law also hurt schools and municipalities [3].

Data centers

  • Says "Tax incentives should not be provided to data centers" and wants communities to control siting [8]; also opposes state incentives for semiconductor plants and carbon-dioxide storage [3].

Water

  • Opposes large-scale water transfers, including the LEAP Lebanon project [8, 3].

Local control

  • Supports home rule and opposes state preemption of local government [3, 20].

Education

  • Says improvements "will not occur because of 'merit pay' or lowering standards for teachers" and wants public funds directed to public schools [8].

Health care

  • Supports rural broadband for telehealth, medical-debt reform and keeping rural hospitals open [8]; opposes cuts to SNAP, Medicaid and school lunches [3].

Child care

  • Supports paid parental leave for all Indiana workers and investment in the child-care workforce [8].

Elections & redistricting

  • Calls for a ban on mid-decade redistricting and a nonpartisan redistricting commission [3].

Privacy

  • Says he opposes government surveillance and "government interference in marriage and childbearing decisions" [20].

How Sanders would run the office

  • Says he will "continue to fight for clean water and against large-scale transfers of water" [8].
  • Says he will keep fighting state preemption of local self-rule [20].

Sanders on the current officeholder

  • Has criticized SEA 1 as "disastrous" [3]; Deery also voted against the law's final passage [7]. No direct statements by Sanders about Deery's record were found.

How Sanders got on the ballot

  • Unopposed in the May 5, 2026 Democratic primary [15].
  • Also ran for this seat in 2022 [3].

Sanders's endorsements and funding

  • Top donors listed by WFYI from Transparency USA data are individuals; no totals were given [3].

What we could not find about Sanders

  • No endorsements or fundraising totals found.
  • WLFI coverage of Sanders could not be reviewed for this profile.

Sanders's campaign website

Sources for Sanders

Key points

  • Senate District 23 covers parts of Tippecanoe, Montgomery, Vermillion, Parke, Warren and Fountain counties in west-central Indiana, between Lafayette and Terre Haute. (WFYI Public Media)
  • The recount also came up in the 2026 Secretary of State race: independent candidate Greg Ballard attended the hearing and said the case "goes to voter intent" and the commission needs to change, while Republican candidate Max Engling called for closed primaries after the crossover-voting concerns. (WFYI Public Media (via Lakeshore Public Media))

Sources

Researched Saturday, October 10, 2026

  1. Indiana Senate (Wikipedia)
  2. 2026 General Election Candidate List (Indiana Election Division)
  3. 2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Senate District 23 (WFYI Public Media)
  4. Sen. Spencer Deery: biography, committees and news releases (Indiana Senate Republican Caucus)
  5. Indiana Supreme Court rules Sen. Spencer Deery winner in 3-vote primary (Indiana Capital Chronicle (via Indiana Public Media))
  6. Senate Roll Call 417: SB 1 (Local government finance), concurrence (Indiana General Assembly (roll-call PDF mirrored by FastDemocracy/BillTexts))
  7. Primary 2026 candidate Q&A: Indiana Senate District 23 (Based in Lafayette (Dave Bangert))
  8. State Sen. Spencer Deery statement on redistricting (Indiana Senate Republican Caucus)
  9. After rejecting Trump's redistricting push, here's who is challenging State Sen. Spencer Deery (WFYI Public Media (via WVXU))
  10. Trump-backed candidate calls for recount in state Senate District 23 race (WFYI Public Media (via Indiana Public Media))
  11. Indiana Supreme Court declares winner in contentious Republican primary race (WFYI Public Media (via Lakeshore Public Media))
  12. Deery asks Indiana Supreme Court to intervene in District 23 recount (WTHI-TV)
  13. About David (David Sanders for Indiana (campaign))
  14. On the Issues (David Sanders for Indiana (campaign))
  15. The Candidate (Joshua Brant campaign (electjoshuabrant.org))
  16. Current Proposals (Committee to Elect Joshua Brant (campaign))
  17. The Republican Primary Fight Continues (Committee to Elect Joshua Brant (campaign))
  18. Spencer Deery for State Senate (Deery campaign)
What's included
the U.S. House, statewide offices, every Indiana House and Senate district on the ballot, Indiana's statewide public questions and judicial retention questions, and county, township, city, town and school board races from the Indiana Election Division's candidate list.
Everything else
Local races (county, city, school board, judges) and anything else on your ballot are on your official sample ballot: IndianaVoters.in.gov.
Candidate lists
As of Sunday, October 18, 2026.
At the polls
Indiana law lets you bring a list of candidates and public questions into the polling place, including one stored on your phone, as long as you don't electioneer. IC 3-11-8-18.5

This is not an official ballot. Confirm your registration, polling place and ballot with your election office through vote.gov.